Clinical profile of patients with diabetic foot ulcers at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Lahore Pakistan

Diabetic foot ulcers are moderately severe complications in patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, with peripheral neuropathy and angiopathy often serving as risk factors. This study aimed to examine the clinical characteristics and risk factors linked to diabetic foot ulcers in type 2 diabetes mellitus individuals within the Pakistani demographic. A retrospective cross-sectional design was used, to analyze the medical files of 68 diabetic foot ulcer patients. Data were collected from the Departments of Medicine and Surgery at Chaudhary Muhammad Akram Teaching and Research Hospital, Lahore Pakistan from Sept. to Dec. 2024. Patients’ clinical profiles, including demographic data, diabetes duration, diabetes control, HbA1c levels, and the presence of comorbidities were all evaluated. Out of the 68 patients, 70.6% were male having a mean age of 55.6±11.7 years, and 55.9% had diabetes for seven years or more. With regard to clinical factors, 61.8% had peripheral neuropathy, 58.8% had hypertension, 47.1% had retinopathy, 26.5% had nephropathy, 20.6% had ischemic stroke, 8.8% had ischemic heart disease, and 2.9% had hypothyroidism, with 97.1% showing poor glycemic control. This study identified a high rate of comorbidities in patients with diabetic foot ulcers, with inadequate diabetes control being a major contributing factor. Timely detection and management of diabetes and its complications are crucial to alleviating the impact of diabetic foot ulcers.